The Four Souls
by The Prince of Nothing Charming
Summary: Four Souls, entwined by fate. A Knight, a Swordsman, a Sorcerer and a Pyromancer, each found their way to the legendary land of Drangleic, ready to embark on a quest to discover the Giant Souls and find the cure for the Curse of Undeath these men have no idea what the savage lands have in store on their quest. (Up for Adoption)
1. Prologue

_**Author's Note: This is the Introduction to a series I hope to write as I play Dark Souls 2. I beat Dark Souls, hating nearly every second of it. Not because I died every five seconds, but because the game lacked so much immersion. I hoped Dark Souls 2 would be better, and it was a significantly more immersive experience but not what I hoped.**  
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_**So, I decided to write the Dark Souls 2 I hoped for.**_

_**This chapter is just the beginning, I plan so much more for this story please give me the chance to prove it.**_

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><p><em>"Perhaps you've seen it, a murky and forgotten land.<em>

_A place where souls may mend your ailing mind_

_You will lose everything._

_Once branded, the Symbol of the Curse you become an Augur of Darkness._

_Your past, your future, your very light. None will have meaning, and you wont even care._

_By then you will be a thing that feeds on souls._

_A Hollow._

_Long ago, in a walled off land far to the north, a great king built a great kingdom._

_I believe they called it Drangleic, perhaps you're familiar. No how could you be? _

_But one day you will stand before it's decrepit gate without really knowing why."_

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><p>The boat creaked as it rocked back and forth as it sailed the large lake that surrounded the ruins, which contained a tree covered in fireflies the man on the boat began to question himself? Why had he come here, what was so important he abandoned his duties as a Knight of Mirrah? He found he could not remember the cause of such a quest, trying as hard as his might allowed him to he could not remember.<p>

As the boat hit the sandy beach the Knight found himself yet again, careless. He stood from the boat and walked purposely toward the tree, as he approached the Firefly covered tree they began to fly. Soaring through the Air, the Knight followed the Fireflies toward a ruined arch which led to nothing but the lake. As he stepped up to the ledge the firefly began to fly in circles, slowly this caused the water to swirl and form a whirlpool.

As he stood watching the whirlpool open and the Firefly descend into the dark abyss below him, he understood now that the Old Lady had be right. He could not escape it, he stood at the Gates of Drangleic staring into the abyss he knew that what ever lie beyond the abyss was all that was left for him now.

He placed one foot over the ledge and jumped with the other.

The sensation of the fall felt like it was going to last forever for the Knight, as he plunged head first into the Abyss. He had no indication of how long he fell for or how fast he was falling, but he registered a near ruined pedestal and the ground beneath him seconds before he felt most extremely pain he had ever felt as he smashed into the ruins.

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><p>The boat creaked as it rocked back and forth as it sailed the large lake that surrounded the ruins, which contained a tree covered in fireflies the man on the boat began to question himself? Why did he come here, if the Knights of Mirrah found him he'd be dead. The Swordsman tried to remember what made him so ignorant to his plight that he would put himself in such danger but found he couldn't.<p>

As the boat hit the sandy beach the Swordsman found that yet again, he didn't care about motive he was on a mission. He walked purposefully toward the Firefly covered tree and stood to watch as they all flew toward the giant lake that surrounded the Ruin. He followed the fireflies to a large, ruined arch which led to a ledge and the lake he stopped and continued to watch the flies as they danced in circles and created a whirlpool in the lake.

As he stood watching the whirlpool open and the Firefly descend into the dark abyss below him, he understood now that the Old Lady had be right. He could not escape it, he stood at the Gates of Drangleic staring into the abyss he knew that what ever lie beyond the abyss was all that was left for him now.

He placed one foot over the ledge and jumped with the other.

The sensation of the fall felt like it was going to last forever for the Swordsman as he plunged head first into the Abyss. He had no indication of how long he fell for or how fast he was falling, but he registered a near ruined pedestal and the ground beneath him seconds before he felt most extremely pain he had ever felt as he smashed into the ruins.

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><p>The boat creaked as it rocked back and forth as it sailed the large lake that surrounded the ruins, which contained a tree covered in fireflies the man on the boat began to question himself? Why did he come here, why abandon his research at the Melfia. The Sorcerer tried to remember what made him so stupidly reckless to investigate these ruins alone, without a senior sorcerer or knight to defend him.<p>

As the boat hit the sandy beach the Sorcerer found that yet again, he didn't care about his research, all that mattered were the Fireflies. He walked purposefully toward the firefly covered tree and stood to watch as they all flew toward the giant lake that surrounded the Ruin. He followed the fireflies to a large, ruined arch which led to a ledge and the lake he stopped and continued to watch the flies as they danced in circles and created a whirlpool in the lake.

As he stood watching the whirlpool open and the Firefly descend into the dark abyss below him, he understood now that the Old Lady had be right. He could not escape it, he stood at the Gates of Drangleic staring into the abyss he knew that what ever lie beyond the abyss was all that was left for him now.

He placed one foot over the ledge and jumped with the other.

The sensation of the fall felt like it was going to last forever for the Sorcerer as he plunged head first into the Abyss. He had no indication of how long he fell for or how fast he was falling, but he registered a near ruined pedestal and the ground beneath him seconds before he felt most extremely pain he had ever felt as he smashed into the ruins.

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><p>The boat creaked as it rocked back and forth as it sailed the large lake that surrounded the ruins, which contained a tree covered in fireflies the man on the boat began to question himself? Why did he come here, the Pyromancers of the Great Swamp were always kind to him, why had he abandoned them in the dead of night? The Pyromancer couldn't make any sense of his actions as he sailed across the lake.<p>

As the boat hit the sandy beach the Pyromancer found that yet again, he didn't care about motive he was on a mission. He walked purposefully toward the Firefly covered tree and stood to watch as they all flew toward the giant lake that surrounded the Ruin. He followed the fireflies to a large, ruined arch which led to a ledge and the lake he stopped and continued to watch the flies as they danced in circles and created a whirlpool in the lake.

As he stood watching the whirlpool open and the Firefly descend into the dark abyss below him, he understood now that the Old Lady had be right. He could not escape it, he stood at the Gates of Drangleic staring into the abyss he knew that what ever lie beyond the abyss was all that was left for him now.

He placed one foot over the ledge and jumped with the other.

The sensation of the fall felt like it was going to last forever for the Pyromancer, as he plunged head first into the Abyss. He had no indication of how long he fell for or how fast he was falling, but he registered a near ruined pedestal and the ground beneath him seconds before he felt most extremely pain he had ever felt as he smashed into the ruins.

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><p><strong><em><span>I called this the Prologue because it's exactly that, my four OC's prologues, it just so happens that everyone enters Drangleic the same way. The actual story begins in the next chapter with the four Heroes waking on the pedestalshrine thing._**

**_Also! I'm looking for any Betas whom would be interested in helping out, requires an understanding of the english language and the ability to type like a normal person n_****_ot a raturd tat wuz lerned how to cumooter._**


	2. Things Betwixt

**The Real Chapter 1 Begins. The first chapter was just a teeny tiny bit of back story for the four characters, which WILL be elaborated on eventually, but most of the story follows the legitimate game.**

**That means this story progresses as I progress through Dark Souls 2. That being said I know most of the game up unto the Last Giant seeing as how I've done it 20+ times in the last two weeks. Guilty as charged I'm a bit of an Altoholic so anyway those chapters will be fairly easy. After that, from the Purser to the Nashandra, I only know what I spoil for myself and I refuse to spoil too much for myself.**

**That being said, if I get stuck on a boss or in a specific area I have a Dark Souls 2 expert as my best friend so I'll only be stuck as long as it takes for me to grind out the Souls to level.**

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><p>As the men awoke on the strange stone Pedestal in the middle of a dark, cold, and unnerving chasm they began to rub their aching temples. As each of the four men regained awareness of their surroundings they noticed the six foot walls of grass between them and their only path forward as well as the giant chasm walls reaching high above them.<p>

"Ah.. Where am I?" The Swordsman groaned as he sat up first and noticed the other four men groaning and struggling to sit up straight. "Where the fuck did you come from?" He asked instantly alarmed as he reached for the scimitar at his waist and tried to stand only to be hit with an intense dizzy spell and fall back down painfully.

"Calm.. down." The Sorcerer groaned as he sat up and rubbed his temples, "Trying to kill us wont do you any good, we're all branded." He explained to the men whom groaned in pain and sat close trying to learn of their plague with exploding migraines. "The curse of undeath leaves a brand on those whom have it. Mine is on my shoulder." He said tapping his shoulder twice in regard to it.

"How come I've never seen mine?" The Pyromancer asked curiously as he sat forward, his aching skull suddenly no longer bothering him as he began to listen to the Sorcerer intently.

"It's probably somewhere out of place, on your back most likely, but it could be on the bottom of your foot, or on your tongue." He explained for the men as it seemed none had noticed their brands. The men seemed to consider this for a few moments and decided to find each of their brands, the Swordsman's brand was at the base of his neck, the Knights was on his shoulder blade. The Pyromancer's wasn't found on his body, so it was assumed to be on his tongue or something of the like.

"Since we've decidedly become friends, perhaps we should learn names?" Suggested the Knight dressed in armor of the Knights of Mirrah with a chuckle of amusement, "I am Gwaine Solaire, Knight of Mirrah." He bowed his head for the men and stared at the Swordsman dressed in red light armor with a black hood covering his face to go next.

"I'm James Frost of Volgen, Sword of the Falconers." The gruff young man dressed in dark red cloth covering thick chain mail gave a curt nod to the men and stared to his right at the sophisticated blonde haired Sorcerer dressed in light blue robes for his introduction.

He nodded briskly in acknowledgement and thought for a second, as if decided whether or not to tell them. "I'm Zechariah Valfor of Melfia, novice Sorcerer." The innocent, blonde eyed blue haired Sorcerer smiled warmly at the men as he nodded to the Pyromancer, dressed in dirty, disgusting smelling robes with a hood covered in mud and filth. It didn't seem to bother the Sorcerer as it had the Knight and Swordsman whom sat away from the repugnant man.

"I'm Venturis of the Great Swamp, Expert Pyromancer." He didn't seem smug at all, just said it because it had to be said. He rolled his head back, cracking his neck loudly for everyone to hear and smiled. "So, shall we make our way out of this place?" He gestured the insanely high mountain walls around them, "I only see one way out." He pointed to the obvious pathway that lead toward the sunlight.

"Very intuitive you are. We'll make it along just fine with you leading us." James laughed at his sarcastic remark as he stood to lead the group, "Hurry up, don't want to get left behind do you?" He taunted as he walked toward the path and discover what lies ahead.

"Extremely reckless, very selfish, and extremely impatient he's a great leader and better judge of character." Gwaine joked as he stood to make after the idiotic Swordsman with Zec and Venturis behind him. They followed the path James had cut into the grass and wandered past some weird monkey type creatures, past the tall grass stood a makeshift hut built into the terrain of the Chasm, whom would chose to live in such a place?

"Of course the imbecile ran in without thinking. Probably dead by now." Venturis laughed as Zec shook his head and moved to enter the hut.

"He _can't_ die, none of us can. We can be beaten, stabbed, chopped up, cooked, _eaten_, burned at the stake and thrown in acid. We _will not_ die." Zec explained for the other two, "If he were dying we'd hear his screams." He calmly told the duo as he stepped toward the house, Gwaine and Venturis stared at each other skeptically before following Zec to the door.

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><p><em>"They all end up here, all the ones like you?" <em>The putrid old Woman dressed in red robes cackled wickedly to the other three putrid old women spread out across the house. One sitting at a table in the middle of the room, another two in front of the fire, the fourth in a chair sowing while a young woman slaved on caring for the Women.

"The Old Lady said I would make my way here no matter what." James said suspiciously, causing the scarred, hairy old women to laugh again, "You spoke to that old Lady didn't you?" One of the women from across the room spoke, prompting the others to laugh manically as Zec, Gwaine and Venturis entered the Hut and balked at the appearance of the Old Women.

"_You're finished. All of you are, you'll go hollow here_." Another one of the four women spoke and the four men didn't understand what she had meant.

_"Yes. You will become one of them._" The woman warned, "_Hollows pray upon man, feast upon their souls_." She explained as the housemaid put a cup of something in front of the old woman. "This is the fate of the Cursed."

_"All people come here for the same reason, to break the curse." _Said the Old Lady whom continued knitting without acknowledging she'd said a word. "_You're no different I should think."_ She seemed arrogantly optimistic that the four would soon lose their sanity's. The Knitting lady stopped sowing to examine the Four as they stood near the door quiet and powerless. "_Hmmm... They don't stand a chance.." _Her comment was met with general agreement from the other ladies and the Four were dismissed from the building through the opposite door they'd entered.

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><p>"That was extremely unexpected." Gwaine laughed as the Housemaid slammed shut the door behind them. The Lost Souls found themselves in front of a bonfire with a large blade sticking from the ashes with yet again, only a cave forward. "Care for a sit?" Asked Gwaine as he approached the bonfire and sat down carefully while Venturis followed him seconds later plopping down beside the Chivalrous Knight.<p>

"I think we should keep moving." Zechariah said staring down the cave ahead of them trying to see what might be ahead, "Zec, don't get your panties in a twist, nothing is going to attack you here." James smiled as he clapped the Sorcerer on the shoulder and sat beside the other two whom were relaxing by the bonfire.

"Fine, but not for long, we can find somewhere warmer and possibly safer to rest." Zec submitted as he sat between Venturis and James forming a diamond around the bonfire. The others nodded in agreement but took advantage of the moment of peace.

Venturis dropped his hood revealing a rugged, tan brunette man with a fairly clean appearance aside from an unshaven chin strap. Gwaine stuck his broadsword in the ground and placed his shield on its back and used it as a hard pillow to rest his head on. Zec stretched out his legs and leaned back on his hands, his staff across his lap he pulled a scroll from his bag and began reading. James laid against the rock surface a few feet from the bonfire and stared straight into the flame with a piercing glare as if it annoyed him.

"So, Venturis, what was it like to live in the Great Swamp?" Zec couldn't hold back his curiosity any longer, he had never met a Pyromancer before and could wait to learn some of their magic.

"It was pretty hard living at first, but if you could survive the things outsida' town you could survive the things _in_ town." He chuckled at his private joke and smiled at the Sorcerer while Gwaine and James looked confused. "I'm kidding, it was pretty nice in town. The people always looked out for everyone, if you were hungry, you were fed. Tired? Take a nap in the nearest bed, soaked ya' clothes? Take soma' mine." He smiled as he remembered all the happiest moments of his time in Oakvale with the Pryomancers.

"That sounds surprisingly humble." Gwaine nodded with the others and spoke, "Mirrah is much different, most of the Nobility work the low class like slaves for near nothing. Being a Knight is the only respectable trait, everything else is just necessary." Gwaine explained his face beaming with pride as he patted the royal crest of Mirrah.

"The Sorcerer's of Melfia were dedicated to their studies though they'll take on apprentices, some even have classes. Most don't actually care about you, or how much you learn, if you miss anything you missed it and they'll continue on." Zechariah explained as he started to absent-mindedly picking dirt of the bottom of his staff. "Masters of their crafts, and absolute assholes."

"Shall we see what's up ahead?" James asked nodding off toward the cave entrance, "See what we can see?" James asked standing up brandishing his shortsword in his left hand not waiting for company.

"I'm in." Gwaine stood from the bonfire, stretched quickly and brandished his broadsword following James through the cave. Zechariah and Venturis shared a quick glance, shrugged and stood to follow the cocky Swordsmen into the unknown.

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><p>The cave turned out to be a quick turn left and right before leaving them in front of a series of caves all connected to the fairly wide pass of the chasm in front of them. Zechariah and Venturis exited the cave last and found Gwaine and James bypassing a series of small caves and wandering forward toward the large narrow pass at the end of the chasm with one thought in mind, 'Sunlight.'<p>

The Four Souls came together at the entrance to the pass, unready for what may await them on the other side. "Ready?" Gwaine asked, staring at the other men whom stood beside him, shoulder to shoulder.

"Let's go." Venturis' short response was matched with a nod.

"As I'll ever be." Zechariah shrugged his shoulders and cracked his neck.

"I don't really feel like it." James smiled as he took a step back.

"Shut up James." Gwaine grabbed his shoulder and dragged him forward.

The sight before them was absolutely beautiful, the edge of the sun just dipped into the ocean horizon reflecting a beautiful hue across the massive ocean. The small, ruined town below looked deserted but the Four Souls truly didn't care at that moment. The feeling of the wind flying through their hair, the ocean breeze hitting their faces. There wasn't a better moment then the moment they first saw the sun.

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><p><strong><em><span>Things Betwixt! How'd I do? Let me know. Sorry the first chapter is repetitive I just wanted to spread the word about the story for when it was actually ready. Let me know what you think? <span>_**

**_Too bright and cheery? _****_Too Chatty? Not Chatty Enough? Not Descriptive enough? Horrible description?_**

**_I want to hear what you have to say._**


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